The Best Man's Own
by Ciircee
Summary: Ash's life after 'It Was a Monday'. Sorry for the wait on Chapt. 5. Hopefully six will be up soon.
1. The Best Man Alone

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_Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, nor anything you recognize.   
Author's Note: Follows the 'Monday' timeline…NOT the cannon. Therefore, expect a few changes.  See 'Monday' for the new timeline.  Besides, it's a good story!  
Dedicated: To Chelle-sama, my dear Tsuin. Just keep repeating the mantra...'gomennasai' and we'll get through it._

**The Best Man Alone**

Ash Ketchum moved peanuts around the glossy bar-top with the most intense concentration he could muster, ignoring his glass of champagne. Around and around and maybe he wouldn't have to see the happy couple he'd raised his glass in toast to a few hours earlier. Misty and Brock. Brock and Misty. Together forever and forsaking all others. Ash wondered if it would be completely out of line for the best man to get drunk. Absolutely stinking drunk; probably not, even if the best man was desperately in love with the bride. In his mind, Ash capitalized those ideas: Best Man, Bride, Groom. Best-friends. He sighed and used the biggest peanut to knock the smallest peanut off the bar.

A hand caught the nut in mid-air. Ash glanced up sharply, though when he'd laid his head on the bar he had no idea, and caught a pair of bright blue eyes with his own. The eyes twinkled merrily before being closed. The hand tossed the captured nut into the air. Ash was forced to drag his attention away from the peanut chase he was conducting in order to connect the hand and the eyes to the smiling young blonde woman at his side eating his peanuts. 

"You're looking very morose, Ash Ketchum." She stole the rest of his peanuts and grinned.

Ash tossed back his drink in one gulp. "God, please." He sighed. "I do _not_ need to be hit on right now." He glanced in the mirror behind the bar only to catch sight of Misty and Brock dancing, cheek to cheek. He wanted to scream. Even the blonde was better than this torment. He motioned for another drink.

The blonde, however, had quirked an eyebrow at his empty glass. "You probably shouldn't be drinking." She told him earnestly.

"It's my best-friends' wedding." He told her, sipping his new glass. "I was the best man. I don't know of a better occasion to drink to."

"Don't you mean," She said, "that it's your best-friend's wedding and he married the girl you're desperately in love with?" He blinked at her and the blonde smiled gently. "You probably shouldn't be drinking." She repeated.

Ash blinked again. "Look, if you're trying to pick me up, Miss…"

"Molly." She broke in.

"Good golly," Ash muttered. "Miss Molly, if you're trying to pick me up I think I have to right to decide if I want to be drunk enough to accept."

Surprisingly, she giggled. "I don't think your Mother or my Father would be very happy about that. I'm Molly, Ash. Molly Hale."

"Professor Hale's daughter? Wow, Molly, I didn't even recognize you!" Ash shook his head. "I probably should have…in your dream world…" He trailed off, uncertain of what Molly remembered. 

"It's not something you'd forget." The grin was back. "I'll forgive it under the special circumstances."

"Could you see your way clear to forgiving me for being a jerk just now?" Ash asked.

She waved one hand absently. "Already done. Besides, with the situation being what it is, it's kind of understandable." 

Ash found himself smiling. "Yeah, I guess." A sudden thought struck him. "Molly? Not to be rude, or anything, but why are you here? I mean, I know Misty kept in touch a little, but…"

"I buy my pokemon from Brock." Molly told him. "In fact, my Vulpix is a descendant of his. He invited me on the principle that that makes us family." She made a face. "I think they invited everybody they've ever met is a more likely story." She gestured to the packed Roseate City Gym, which doubled as the reception hall.

"Yeah, it sure seems like it." Ash agreed. "I got to mail the invitations and tally the guest list."" He bit his lip. "I got to help with a lot of the wedding plans." He shifted his eyes to the bar-top again. For the space of a few minutes, he'd forgotten, caught up in talking to Molly; forgotten about what this day was, exactly.

"Should I twist the knife a little?" She asked wryly. "Let's get out of here." She leaned across the bar. "Can I get a couple of bottles of water, please?" The bartender slid them to her with a smile and a slight nod in Ash's direction. Molly grinned. "C'mon, Ash, let's go for a walk."

He slid off the barstool, more than willing to leave. One last glance over his shoulder showed him that Misty and Brock were still dancing, slowly, to a fast song. "Christ." He muttered roughly. Molly shoved a bottle of water into his hand.

"Drink. Alcohol dehydrates and so do intense emotions." She pushed open the door to the Junior Trainer fields and set off across them, heading for the swings that had been whimsically tied into the trees at the edge of the fields.

"Well thank you for that infomercial, Doctor Hale." Ash snorted, settling into a swing next to Molly and pushing off. 

"It's 'Professor Hale' actually." She said, tipping back in the swing and gazing at the stars through the leaves.

Ash snorted into his bottle as he took a drink. "That's a crock. I'm only eighteen. That makes you all of what? Fifteen? You're not a professor." He pumped his legs, swinging higher.

"Well, I will be, one day. I'm already studying with my father." Ash glanced at her curiously and was met with another engaging grin. "The Unown."

Ash choked. "You nearly destroyed your _whole_ _town_ the last time." Molly giggled. "You're crazy!" Ash shook his head in awe.

"Maybe." Molly admitted, sitting up. "But I have a connection to them. And I was just a child last time; if I can contact them again I should be able to control things better." She tilted her head to the side. "And I'm sixteen as of yesterday."

"Oh, well, happy belated birthday to you, Soon-to-be Professor Hale." Ash raised his bottle in mock salute.

"Thank you." She deadpanned. Then she grinned again. "Seriously, we're taking a lot of precautions this time." She ticked points off on her fingers. "We're keeping the Ruins secured to authorized personnel only, we've tapped Sabrina's psychics to monitor the site, we're booking you to come and save us…" 

Ash laughed. "I'll have to see if I'm available."

"Are you?" Molly asked. Ash started.

"Is this a come-on?" He asked blankly. It was weird was what it was, he decided.

"No." Molly shook her head. "Just a wondering what Ash Ketchum is going to do now that his work on the Roseate City Gym is finished."

"Oh." He settled back into his seat with a curious sense of disappointment in his stomach. "I'm not sure, actually. The League Games are coming up at the Indigo Plateau, but Gary Oak dropped out this year. His lead team has got some major injuries." 

"Not the same without your 'unbeatable' foe, huh?" Molly sympathized. "Think you'll take Danny up on the offer to join the Orange Crew?"

"Nah." Ash sighed, swinging idly. "Danny and the rest of the Orange Crew are great and all, but I don't think I'm cut out for the Orange Islands." Ash did a double take. "How did you know about that offer?"

Molly shrugged lightly, matching the pace of her swing to his. "My Dad still talks to your Mom. And I'm interested in you, so I listen."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, Mom sure likes to brag about…" He stopped his swing suddenly as a light dawned. "…me." He snapped around to look at Molly.

She turned sideways on the swing to face him, drawing up one leg and folding her arms over her knee. "That was the come-on." She told him, seriously, resting her chin on her arms and gazing at him.

"I'm not even drunk." Ash said inanely, goggling at her. 

"Should I go get you a beer?" Molly laughed softly.

"No. This part definitely requires sobriety." Ash passed one hand over his eyes. "Do you mind me asking why you…" he gestured expansively when he couldn't find words to frame her statement.

"Admitted that I have some feelings for you? Or why I chose one of the more painful days of your life to do it?" Molly studied him intently. "I suppose I could be philosophical and say that there are many rooms in the house of the heart and I'm hoping you'll open a door for me." Ash made a face and she smiled. "I could be condescending and say that what you feel for Misty is just a yearning for the unattainable girl." Molly's hand, warm though Ash's tuxedo jacket, stopped him from leaving. Her smile was gentle. "But honestly?"

"I'd prefer honesty after that blunt, forward attack." Ash told her.

"I believe in forward. Forward works for me." Molly's eyes twinkled. "And honestly, I'm not in love with you. But I like you, Ash Ketchum. I liked you before I came here today and I like you even more now."

"So," Ash stated, leaning back in the swing as Molly had done. "You're not ready to go roust the preacher from his bed to perform another ceremony?" He could see her grin, even behind closed eyes.

"That's right, though…once I think about it; it'd save us a ton of time and effort." She kick-started her swing again. "I mean, everything's already set up…"

Ash laughed. "Well, I'll go get the priest." He had the pleasure of listening to Molly chuckle beside him, a warm, soft sound in the night.

"I don't know if I like you enough to marry you. But I like you enough to want to try to have a relationship with you. When you're ready."

"So this is just a 'foot-in-the-door' thing, hmm?" Ash cocked his head. "That's a smart plan. Friends first and maybe we can test out the relationship waters."

"That's what I was hoping for." Molly confessed with a nod. 

Ash stopped his swing, then reached out to stop hers. Leaning across the distance, he smiled directly into her eyes. "I'd like that." He said. He stood and offered Molly his hand. "C'mon, let's go back in. We can try dancing."


	2. The Best Man (Maybe, Just Possibly) Gets...

Chapter 2: The Best Man (Maybe, Just Possibly) Gets Sets a Date Edward Lent Edward Lent 2 4 2001-11-04T02:30:00Z 2001-11-04T02:30:00Z 1 2839 16188 Stellar Express 134 37 18990 10.2625 Clean Clean MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} 

_AN: Disclaimers from Chapter 1 apply. Dedicated anew to Chelle-sama. I swear I'll work on Kitaku again. I didn't __mean to continue on from 'Best Man', but sometimes the Plot-bunny doesn't die when you whack it over the head.****_

**Chapter 2: The Best Man (Maybe, Just Possibly) Gets Sets a Date  
  
**

There were a lot of pictures from Brock and Misty's wedding, Ash thought, and he'd gotten a copy of nearly all of them. But he'd stuffed most of them into a photo album that he rarely looked at. He'd only kept one out. It was the only one in which he looked truly happy; in the others he looked sad or lonely or wistful, even bored; in one he looked downright terrified. But not in this one. Ash stared at the picture in his hand; he hadn't gotten a frame for it, it simply sat on his nightstand--within easy reach when the silence of being in his Mother's house without his two best friends got to be too much.

Dancing with Misty, Ash reflected, had been wonderful...

* * *

Dancing with Misty was horrible, Ash reflected. She was impossibly graceful, so soft and sweet smelling and beautiful. 'Bad form' he chastised himself. 'Inappropriate to slaver over the Bride when you're not the Groom.' And speaking of the Groom, here came said Best Friend across the dance floor to re-claim his Wife. He had to, Ash realized, stop capitalizing those concepts. The sooner, the better. Ash stepped away from Misty with a sharp pang.

"Hey Brock, I guess you came to get Misty." He said and was surprised when Brock drew him, and not his bride, into a fierce hug.

"Thanks Ash, thanks for everything." Brock said, squeezing. "You don't know what this means to me."

Maybe it was the fact that Misty was glowing with happiness beside him, or maybe it was the fact that Brock was well and truly his best friend, but Ash felt something tight and strained and barbed inside of him ease. "Yeah, well, I wouldn't do it for anybody else." He said, meaning it.

"Oh Ash!" Misty smiled with fond affection and stepped up to embrace him. "One day Ash, I want you to be as happy as I am right now. I want you to know exactly what this is like." Misty released him, dashing at tears that had gathered in her eyes. "I want you to have all this someday." 

Ash had to bite down hard on the inside of his lower lip before he could work his voice around an answer. "I want that too, Misty."

"And I want to dance." Came a new voice over his shoulder. "Could that maybe happen now, instead of in the amorphous future?" Ash turned to see Molly's blue eyes twinkling merrily over his shoulder. 

"It's alright, you guys, you can keep dancing." Brock said before turning to Molly. "I think I can oblige you, beautiful young lady." He said, bowing gallantly. 

Molly curtsied deeply. "I'm honored, kind and handsome sir." She rose with a grin. "But I've already danced with you Slick _and_ you're taken. I was hoping I could convince Ash to take me around the floor again."

"I'm wounded." Brock laughed. "Are you trying to tell me that you want to steal my best buddy away from this serious talk about being light-heartedly happy for some nefarious purpose?"

"Got it in one, Slick." Molly winked. "I figured it was better than getting him drunk and propositioning him." Ash felt his ears heat.

"So then get to it!" Misty beamed, pushing Ash towards Molly. "We've got some dancing of our own to do." 

Brock kissed her tenderly. "We sure do." He leered playfully. "And after that, the garter toss!"

Molly drew Ash away to the sounds of Misty's happy, laughing protestations. "Well," She said brightly, winding her arms around his neck, "that seemed painfully painful. You looked like you were willing to chew your own leg off in order to escape."

"It wasn't _so_ bad. Not unless you count almost all of it." Ash sighed. "The thing is, really, it's not so bad because they're so...happy. They're happy." 

She made a murmur of agreement. "Very."

He rested his cheek against her hair briefly. "Thank you for the rescue."

"No need to thank me. I actually did want to dance with you again. I've got to leave--I'm taking the river boat back to Greenfield and the last one leaves in twenty-minutes." She grinned impishly. "I thought you could use it as an excuse if you wanted. You know, I'm leaving, you're leaving, so we must be off having mad, passionate..."

Ash laughed. "No, thank you, you don't need to besmirch your honor--" Molly threw back her head and laughed, drawing smiles from some of the other dancers as Ash smiled down at her, "_or_ mine. Brock and Misty are leaving after the garter toss to catch the magnet train into Goldenrod."

"Goldenrod? I thought they were going to honeymoon in the Whirl Islands." Molly frowned. "Geez, I'm out of the loop."

"They are, but first they're staying the night in Goldenrod. They're going to catch an early morning hot-air balloon ride into Olivine. They arranged to rent a boat at the harbor to get to, from, and around the Islands."

"That sounds nice." Molly said at the exact same time that an announcement for the garter toss went overhead. Ash steeled himself to join the growing, jostling crowd around Brock and Misty and was surprised when Molly simply didn't release him. She revolved them in a slow semi-circle so that Ash could no longer see the other half of the room. "Speaking of dancing..." 

"We weren't."

"We are now." Molly shrugged. "I wanted to tell you earlier that you're a wonderful dancer."

Ash felt himself blush again as he muttered an embarrassed reply. "You don't have to say that, Molly."

"Good." She declared. "Because in all reality, Ash, you have the rhythm of a stick." 

"Stick!" Ash startled, not even hearing the raucous catcalls from the crowd across the hall, "Stick? I'll make you eat those words, _Professor_." He swept her into a series of light, quick steps before dipping her with a low, laughing flare.

"Ash!"

He very nearly dropped her.

"Ash Ketchum!" He straightened, setting a giggling Molly on her feet, and turned to face Brock. _He_ was storming across the dance floor, clutching something in his hands. "Here." Brock shoved the thing, a white, lacy thing, into Ash's unresisting hands. "I threw it. You caught it."

"Okay." Ash felt himself frown in confusion. Brock clapped him on the back.

"So. That takes care of everything." Brock grinned broadly. "Thanks again, Ash. Bye Molly, it was good to see you again."

"Bye Brock." Molly said around her giggles. "I'd tell you 'have a nice time' but that's pretty much a given." She waved as he strode across the room and blew a kiss to him and a waving, beaming Misty.

Ash waved too, before finally looking at the white thing he held in his waving hand. It was the garter. "Oh." He managed, staring. Now, what was that saying...?

"Catch the garter and you're the next to the altar." Molly's voice was full of breathless mirth as she propped her chin on his shoulder, still waving to the exiting bride and groom. "And you know, Violet caught the bouquet not more than an hour ago."

"That's right Ash." Todd was making a beeline for him and Ash suddenly had a bad feeling about the entire affair. "This means I'm going to need a picture of you, Violet, and your trophies." He slung the camera around his neck over his shoulder and gestured with the one in his hand. "Over by the bower, if you will." 

A quick glance over his shoulder showed that Violet was coming up fast. Ash had a feeling that the look he aimed at Molly was panicked. "Too bad." She snickered. "I guess there won't be any hot, wild--"

"Ash!" Violet cried, "C'mon, it's time for more pictures! I do wish it had been that cute guy with the Jolteon, water and electricity and all that." Violet mimed a little shiver then winked at him. "But I guess you're not too bad. Alright Todd, where did you want us?"

"The bower." Molly supplied helpfully and Ash shot her a look of betrayal, which she laughed at. "Hey, Todd, I've got to go, can you get a picture of us?"

"Sure thing, Molly. Say 'Ruins of Alph'!" Todd grinned.

Molly looped one arm through Ash's and held the other out in front of her, thumb, index, and middle finger splayed in a very familiar victory pose. "Yeah!" She cried. "I got him!" And Ash couldn't help laughing as he, too, assumed his victory stance. The camera's flashbulb made bright starburst patterns in front of his eyes, painful to look at, true, but they were pretty.

* * *

Ash studied the photograph with the same close attention that he did every time he looked at it. He and Molly were leaning together, laughing at each other, not even looking at the camera. He'd been laughing at an event he hadn't even been sure he could hold a forced smile through.

The weirdest thing, the most unexpected thing, was that she seemed to be hanging around inside his head all the time now. He'd gotten a brief letter from her when the pictures were sent out, asking if he'd gotten a copy of the picture of the two of them. Ash had written a quick, two line reply stating that, yeah, he'd gotten a copy. He had a copy of most of them, if she wanted any other pictures.

She'd phoned him after that. He'd been out, but his mom had taken a message from her. He'd been fiercely glad to be gone when she'd called. He hadn't returned the call and had ducked out of the room the next day when his mom had called Professor Hale. He'd heard her say 'he's a bit bashful'. She wasn't kidding, either. It was weird. Weird, weird, weird.

And so normal was the word of the day when he walked into the kitchen to see his mom and Professor Hale on the phone. "'Morning, Mom." He grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table. "Hi, Professor. What are you two talking about?" He seated himself on the table and grinned when his mother shooed him into a chair.

"Professor Oak, actually. Your mother was trying to think of a plan to get Sam to take Professor Ivy to the Pokemon-Conference Mixer. And I still say setting him up with Philina is a mistake, Delia. Roxy is so much better suited."

"Nonsense, Spencer. Professor Maplewillow practically lives in the artic."

"Better to be cold and have somebody to snuggle up to than to roast to death in the tropics."

"He seems to rather enjoy the beach, you know."

"Actually, Mom, Professor Hale, Professor Oak is taking Jaspreete from the Growing Gardens Greenhouses to dinner tonight. They go just about every week. I think they're dating." Ash injected, taking a bite of his apple.

Which he promptly choked on.

"Professor Ivy's not interested in men anyway." Molly said, strolling into the room behind her father. "I found that reference you were looking for, Dad, before your 'pressing business' took over." She grinned at the screen. "Hi Mrs. Ketchum. Hey Ash." She winked.

Ash flushed. "Hey Molly. You look, um, busy."

Molly shrugged and leaned over the back of her father's chair. "I like to keep busy. It keeps me from gossiping about Professor Oak's love life."

"I wasn't gossiping." Ash muttered, feeling scarlet flames lick at his face. Molly only grinned and leaned closer to the screen.

"Hey--Professor Ivy?" She said quirking up an eyebrow. She leaned back and poked her tongue into her cheek. "I've got to get moving; I need to check in with the team on North End, I'll be back in time for lunch Dad. Bye Mrs. Ketchum, bye Ash." She fluttered her fingers. "Oh, Ash? Maybe the next time I call, you'll be in."

"Yeah, maybe." Ash agreed faintly as Molly sauntered out of view. Spencer Hale turned to watch his daughter leave and before turning back, eyebrows raised.

"So, Philina is like that, huh?" He grinned. "And Sam is dating. You know, Delia, I think we need a new hobby."

Ash headed for his room, his apple and breakfast completely forgotten as his mom laughed. "Maybe we could hook Professor Ivy up with Professor Maplewillow, hmm?" Normal was shot for the day, he decided as his mom and Professor Hale laughed uproariously. 

And things didn't exactly _get _normal, either, over the next several weeks. It was, Ash knew, at least partially his own fault. After that first phone call, he'd called Molly's house the next day. She hadn't been in. Something must have had control of his mouth because Ash heard himself say "Well, tell her _I_ was in today." He'd gone out, with nothing at all to do, for the entire next day only to return and find that Molly had called him. She'd left a message that she _had_ been in, but wouldn't be for the next two days. After that, things had gotten inventive.

Eventually, Professor Hale and his mom took to letting the machine pick-up the calls, which actually made phone-tag a lot more fun--nobody could do 'petulant/offended/unaffected/pitiful' like Molly could. It wasn't until Ash nearly broke his leg falling out his window (and incidentally, past the phone screen) trying to get out of the house before his mother found him and made him take the call, that Ash decided to answer the phone. 

"Hi, you've reached the Ketchum house." Ash began to recite the answering machine message. Molly looked like she was plotting what to say. "We're currently screening all our calls. Please wait for the tone and leave a message. Oh, and if this is Molly, I'm not in." He waited a second, watched Molly get ready to speak. "Beep?" He offered, smirking. It was oddly satisfying to watch Molly's mouth drop open, to see her eyes cloud over with confusion before she gave way to disbelieving laughter. "Beep?" Ash asked again. "Molly, you're supposed to leave a message."

Molly, doubled over and nearly hysterical, hung up.

Ash considered.

"Might as well." He said to himself. He dialed the Hale's number from memory. "Hi Mrs. Hale!" He said cheerily when Molly's mother answered. "Is Molly still in?"

Mrs. Hale nudged something on the floor with her foot. "Molly, Ash Ketchum is on the phone for you." 

"I know! I know he is!" Molly sat up and into view. She was wiping tears off her face. "Hi Ash." She managed to deadpan.

"Hi Molly!" Ash chirped and had the pleasure of watching Molly dissolve into giggles again. Something mellow and content crept into his stomach along with the squirmy, nervous, anticipatory feeling Molly normally seemed to inspire in him. "Hey." He smiled when she'd calmed down. 

Her answering smile was warm. "Hey. I've got to admit, this is an unexpected pleasure. I was under the impression that I unsettled you." She winked and Ash had the impression that she'd bitten her tongue on the word 'bashful'.

"You do." He heard himself say.

"Really?" Molly leaned forward, folding her arms in front of the phone. "Why's that?" She asked, propping her chin on her arms. 

"I know what you want." Ash winced as he said it but plowed on. "And it's thinking that I might, you know, want that too. Maybe, one day. You know."

Molly sighed. "I think so. Do you remember what I said at the reception? I want us to be friends first, and if you can't, or don't want, to be anything else then that's good too. I like you, Ash--with or without you liking me. Friends is always a good place to be."

"Yeah, I remember. But you make me all...well. It's easy to avoid you. I didn't even like Misty at first, but I couldn't avoid her so we had to be friends."

Molly grinned. "You couldn't avoid her? I don't think I've heard this story."

"It's a long story. Well, no, it's not. I totaled her bike. She wouldn't let me out of her sight until I got her a new one. At first I couldn't even stand her and then I..." Ash bit his lip, remembering. "Anyhow, I was around her all the time...it's hard to be nervous all the time."

"I get that. It's a lot easier to fight-or-flight every time the phone rings." Molly nodded thoughtfully. There was a long pause during which Ash thought of, and rejected, all of two things to say. "Okay." Molly sat back, "Okay, it's my turn to get the 'nervous, unsettled, hope-I'm-not-humiliating-myself, not-so-springtime-fresh feeling'."

"What?" Ash blinked, smiling a little. "Regular-Molly seems like she'd be able to storm a castle all by herself, Nervous-Molly must have the ability to take over the moon."

"I was thinking more along the lines of _you_ taking over Greenfield for awhile." Molly said, her eyes intent on his. 

For a moment, Ash could have sworn that the world shifted on its axis. "Are you inviting me to Greenfield?" Perhaps it was a bit of a stupid thing to say, but it was really all he felt capable of coming up with, given the circumstances.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess I am." Molly sat back, as though stunned. "I mean, it's not such a bad idea, really. You've dealt with the Unown, with their constructs--Entei, the crystal formations." She searched the desk quickly and came up with a notebook and pen. "In fact, this is a great idea! You can have a look around the Ruins and give us your opinion on it. You could stay over at the Pokemon Center; they double as a rooming house. I think. I'd have to check on that again. Hmm. We should get a transcript of your version of events from last time...hang it, that means that we'll need Misty's too...I can call her...I don't suppose either of you have blood samples from before that time available anywhere? Pediatrician's office? Misty might...I should check with the GLA..." Ash watched Molly scribble frantically for a moment, a grin titling his mouth.

"So, I'm the science project now?" 

Molly's head flashed up. "What?" She blinked a few times. "Oh. No. Well, yes and no. The scientific factor is pretty neat, but mostly I want to get to know you. If you're here then we can't get away from each other so easily, no matter how scared we are."

"You were avoiding me?" It was Ash's turn to blink. It wasn't a bad feeling, this. This knowing that maybe, just possibly, he was getting to Molly as much as she was him. 

"Why do you think I wasn't answering my phone?" Molly's cheeks were pink. 

"I thought you weren't home." Ash grinned. Then, taking a deep breath, taking his life, and maybe--just possibly--his heart in hand, decided. "I'll do it. I'll leave for Greenfield tomorrow. Is that enough time for you to get stuff ready?"

"Yeah--I--yeah." Molly had stopped writing; eyes wide and only vaguely focused. "You..." Her cheeks colored again suddenly. "Okay."

"Okay." Ash agreed, nodding. It felt as though by making a decision the Butterfree in his stomach had decided to migrate someplace else. "I'll leave tomorrow. I should be there in a week."

Molly continued to blink and gape. "It's a date." She agreed faintly. Ash nodded again and hung up.

"Mom?" He called, standing. "I'm going to pack. I'm leaving for Greenfield in the morning." Greenfield? Molly? Date? Ash suddenly felt faint. That flock of Butterfree might have flown, but their offspring were back with a vengeance. 

"Okay honey." His mother called back. "That's good timing, I've got a whole basket of clean unmentionables for you."


	3. Back to Square One, Sort of...

_AN: Disclaimers, etc. from Chapt. 1 apply here. Please re-read if you feel the need to refresh your memory regarding the whole 'ownership' issue. This fic is still for Chelle.  I own Chelle-sama.  I own her soul!  *insert evil laugh* _

**Chapter 3: Back To Square One, Sort Of  
 **

"I'm nervous...oh no I'm not...I'm nervous...oh no I'm not..."

"Honey, why are you shredding that poor chrysanthemum?" Professor Hale's voice was amused and Molly looked up to see her father's familiar, comforting grin.

"Because I'm not nervous." She plucked another petal. "Oh, yes I am." She sighed. "He said a week, Dad...and that's all it should take on Route Twelve. So why's he late?"

Her father's smile faded. "Molly, you do know how he feels about Misty, right?"

"Yeah, Dad, everybody knows. I think even Brock and Misty know. I know."

"I thought you might." He pushed Molly's feet off the sofa and sat down, pulling the abused blossom out of her hands. "Maybe you should get out of the house for awhile. _And_ away from the Ruins." He added as Molly glanced at her laptop. 

"What if he shows up while I'm gone?" Molly winced at the fluttery-edged panic in her tone. "I mean--"

Spencer rolled his eyes. "You'll be coming back. I'm sure he won't have a heart-attack and run off if you're not here."

Molly heard herself giggle. "You're right. You usually are." She got to her feet. "So, what do you want me to do? Mow the garden? Weed the grass?"

Her father stood and kissed her forehead gently. "Why don't you take the boat into Roseate and pick up your new Onix? Brock called earlier and said it's ready whenever you are."

"Yes!" She cried jubilantly. "Alright! He's going to be so helpful in the Ruins. You don't think it'll be scared in there, do you? I mean, it is just a baby. Hm. I'm going to have to give him a name, aren't I?"

"Not Rocky, please Sweetheart." Her father sounded mortified. "You've got a Teddiursa named Teddie, a Vulpix named Pixie and a Mantine named Manny. Please don't torture this one too."

"Dad!" Molly laughed. "They're not that bad!"

"They are so. I'm just ashamed I have such an unimaginative daughter." She laughed again as her father hung his head in mock shame. "I can't show my face in public."

Molly hugged her father suddenly. "Thanks, Papa." She headed for the door, grabbing her rucksack on her way. "I'm going to go catch the three-fifteen boat. If..." She rolled her eyes. "Ugh, listen to me. Look, if Ash shows up or anything, you can reach me at Brock's."

Her father was eyeing her bag. "Let me guess; if he turns up then you'll be home for dinner, but if he doesn't I can expect not to see you until he's here?"

"Well, I never did go on a Pokemon journey." She said, slipping out the front door and breaking into an excited run. "Bye Dad! I'll be back as soon as I can!"

Even running didn't stop her from nearly missing the boat out.

"Mistress Molly." An old man, Horace, the ticket taker, laughed. "When you gonna be on time, little girl?" He let her onto the _Umbreon__ Fleet_ with a smile. "If your Papa hadn't called, you would not be on my boat! I'd have left you behind to swim with fishes."

"Oh he didn't! Dad still treats me like I'm four." She shook her head. "Next time, Horace, you just let me miss...maybe it'll teach me to be on time."

Horace nodded. "I do just that, next time." He patted her arm as he showed her into a seat. "Your Papa, he says you want seat facing Route twelve." The old man winked. "He thinks maybe you find what you're looking for and come home tonight."

"He _didn't_!" Molly was caught between amused and aghast. "Horace, he didn't say that, did he?"

He laughed. "You your Papa's angel, Mistress Molly. Tell you something, I buy you raspberry ice to make up for your beastly Papa, hey?"

"I can buy an ice for myself, Horace." Molly smiled fondly. "You held the boat for me."

Horace patted her arm again. "Is okay, little girl. I always hold boat for you. When the _Umbre_ was going under I hear tell it was some scientists kept her afloat. Besides, one day, I wear you down and you run away with me." He winked. "You keep watch for that thing you looking for, I get you your treat."

Molly shook her head, smiling, but kept one eye on the winding road beside the river. She didn't see any familiar figures on it, though she did wave to some of the travelers. She made small talk with Horace and some of the others on the boat and grew more and more impatient to reach Roseate City.

She nearly hopped off the boat before it stopped. "Bye Horace! I'll see you later!" She called, waving.

Horace waved back. "Probably not today, hey. Mister Brock, you make sure you tell Mistress Molly to name that new Pokemon something nice." He called and Molly turned to find Brock standing on the pier behind her, waving.

"Will do, Horace." He yelled back. "And Misty said to tell _you_ that she'll run away with you soon." 

Horace laughed as the _Umbreon__ Fleet_ set off again. "She stole my heart, that girl. You hang on tight there, Mister Brock or I take her up on that offer."

"I will." Brock called after him. He smiled at Molly and began walking up the bustling main street towards his home. "Misty sent me down to the market to get some windflower tea. She's been a bit out of sorts lately, she says it'll help. Which, I might add, is the same thing she said about the Silver-Needle tea." He shrugged. "I don't mind going if it's for her though. It's been two months and I'm still counting my lucky stars that she agreed to marry me in the first place." 

"You're a good guy, Brock. I bet Misty feels the same way." Molly blinked suddenly. "Wait, you're getting windflower tea? And Silver Needle?" She bit her bottom lip to hold back a grin. "If they don't work, tell her to try meadow-saffron. My mom swore by it."

"I'll do that." Brock grinned. "Thanks, Molly." He paused briefly as they reached the end of his driveway. "Misty's got her version of the Unown events written up for you, by the way. She was hoping that you'd bring Ash with to pick it up." Molly watched him glance at her out of the corner of his eye as he dug his house keys out of his pocket. "So, I guess he was pretty busy in Greenfield."

Molly stopped and laid her hand on Brock's arm. "He's not there yet." Biting her lip she plunged on. "If you're thinking what I think you are...it's not that. He'll probably be a little peeved that I didn't wait for him."

Brock nodded. "Good." He looked down at his keys and then put them back in his pocket. "Walk with me a bit yet?" He set off for the paddocks next to the house. "I know that the wedding was rough on him." He said, sighing. "I don't know if you realize it, but Ash has some pretty deep feelings for Misty."

"Yeah. I know. We talked about it a bit just before I told him I had some feelings for him." Molly kept walking as Brock faltered. "That's why I invited him to Greenfield. I want to try to get to know him. I want him to get to know me. He won't forget Misty, I know, but maybe...well, just maybe."

"Good luck." Brock whistled. "Seriously, what he feels for Misty has its roots in friendship; and honestly, if he's going to have a relationship I want it to be with somebody he likes as a friend too." He caught up to her and slung an arm around her shoulder. "But I have faith in you, Molly. When it comes to turning Ash's heart around you're the only one I'd put money on." He pulled her to a stop outside one of the biggest enclosures.

Molly leaned on the rail. "So...which one is mine?" She couldn't keep from smiling as four baby Onix, no larger than she, romped over each other and the grass. One of them roared as loudly as it could, obviously enraged, before slamming itself down on an unlucky sibling. Molly winced. "Tell me it's not the vicious one."

Brock prodded at the aggressor with a pole whose end was wrapped in a water-soaked cloth. "It's not." He succeeded in pushing the Onix through a gate into the other half of the pen. "Nope, that one is going to go to a trainer in Silver Mountain." He latched the gate closed and then offered her a blue and yellow pokeball with the Roseate City Gym and Breeding Center logo on it. "The one that got whomped on was...Rocky?" He hazarded shrewdly. 

Molly, as she looked at Brock, had the feeling that her eyes were two horrified saucers as well as the unique notion that she was gaping like a magikarp. It was Misty's voice ringing across the yard that brought her up. "Don't tease, Brock." She was laughing. "Hi, Molly. Your father called us when you left home; he wanted us to remind you that if you, and I am quoting, 'Doom that poor creature to life as _Rocky_ I'll never be able to hold my head up in polite society'."

"Just for that I'm naming it Spencer. Dad had better hope it's a boy." She took the proffered pokeball and aimed at the writhing mass of rock. The remaining three had wrapped around each other. "Hang it! How am I supposed to get the right one?" Three sets of blinking eyes seemed to smirk at her. "Spencer's a fitting name for whichever one of you belongs to me." Molly called to them.

Brock laughed and lifted a set of pan flutes from a hook on the stile. The notes that floated out of the reeds were silver-bright and dreamy. The three pokemon separated and curled up in the grass beside each other. The banished Onix put its head over the gate and closed its eyes. Brock grinned. "You pretend you're their momma, that's how." He pointed at the one in the middle. "Come on." He told it. "Come to Brock."

It did, twisting in pleasure as Brock stroked the base of its horn. "I've never, ever, heard your Onix make a noise like that." Misty was staring at her cooing husband and the ecstatic pokemon. "And I've lived with it."

Brock drew Spencer into the pokeball and handed it to Molly. Even though it wasn't her first pokemon, Molly felt a thrill of emotion. "Thanks." She murmured. "I'll take good care of him." Brock nodded, putting an arm around Misty and leading them up to the house.

"I know you will." Brock smiled sweetly. "I wouldn't trust you with my babies' babies if you didn't take the very _best_ care of them. You love them. That's good enough for me."

"Don't avoid the question, Breeder-boy." Misty said suddenly. "Trade secret or not, you're explaining how that flute sounds like your roaring, moaning, loud-mouthed Onix."

Her husband winked, put his grocery bags on the porch and jumped over the rail. "Wow, looks like Nutkin and Chippy Hacke are up to mischief again." Grinning he headed back for the fields, turning to wave and call, "Be right back, ladies." 

"I'll get it out of you yet!" Misty called after him. He kept walking, whistling, and Molly watched Misty's eyes go unfocused and soft. Love was sweet, she mused. And newlyweds were a bit too saccharine.

"Nutkin? Chippy?" She asked, grabbing the bags and meandering into the kitchen.

"Ah, Brock's got issues." Misty grinned, shaking her head. "They're a pair of odd-tempered furrets. Want some tea?" She offered, shaking the canister enticingly.

Molly tucked her tongue into her cheek. "Nope. Not yet, anyway." Misty rolled her eyes and put a kettle on to boil. Molly leaned against the counter. "I wouldn't mind getting my hands on your event report. Brock said you had it ready."

"It's over on the table." Misty nodded toward it. "I wanted to ask Ash a question or two about it, but I figured you'd rule that out." Molly watched as she measured tea leaves. "He's pretty busy in Greenfield, huh? He was a bit sore that we didn't get to see the ruins the last time we were there; I imagine he's having a ball poking around."

"He's not there yet." Molly sighed. "He must have left later than he'd planned; I didn't even see him on Twelve." 

"He left on Wednesday." Misty frowned. "I called his mom Friday. He should have been there by now, it's not like it takes two weeks to..." She trailed off and then swore softly to herself. "Listen, Molly, you brought your pack with, right? Sleeping bag and stuff?" 

Molly blinked. "Yeah, I thought I might meet up with him, but like I said, I didn't see him."

A light flashed in Misty's eyes. "He's so stubborn." She muttered. "Can you steep that for me and put it in a travel mug?" She asked, pointing to the tea. "I need to talk to Brock for a second." She marched out the door before Molly could answer.

"O_kay_." She said to nobody in particular. "That was weird." She hummed as she finished the tea and began wiping up her spills. "They'd better not be having an 'intimate discussion' or else I'm leaving." She told the dishcloth as she rung it out. 

"We weren't." Misty leaned in the doorway. "If you've got everything, I'd like to give you a ride somewhere."

"My days are just not normal." Molly said agreeably, following Misty to the car.

The ride out of town was silent; Misty seemed lost in thought and Molly was content not to disturb her. "Molly? I'm right in thinking that you're in love with Ash, aren't I?" Misty said finally. Molly sucked in a sharp breath.

"You're observant." She replied, not meeting her eyes. Forests and fields flowed past her window.

"You're no slouch either." Misty agreed dryly. "You're pretty darn aware of Ash's feelings for me." She let out a breath. "I was already in love the day I met Ash." Molly couldn't help turning to stare at her and Misty smiled. "I met Brock at one of the League Gym Association Family Fairs when we were little. We spent most of the day together, running around and laughing and battling. And I knew then that there wasn't ever going to be anybody else for me. It's sappy, I know."

"But, Brock traveled with you, didn't he? I mean, if you and he..."

"Oh, he didn't. He hit on every single girl we ever met, including Professor Ivy." Misty smirked. "But it didn't matter. I liked him, even as I loved him. Does that make sense? We were friends. We still are."

"Yeah." Molly whispered. "I get that." Fields had given way to houses and tidy neighborhoods outside her window. "It sounds nice."

"It is." Misty agreed. "But I think that it really threw Ash for a loop. It must have seemed to him that Brock and I fell in love overnight. Abrupt, out of the blue." She parked the car at a rest-stop near what appeared to be the beginnings of downtown...someplace.

"Where are we?" Molly asked, looking around.

"Medial City." Misty got out of the car and Molly followed her. "There's a fork in the path," She said, pointing, "maybe three miles up. Take the left and there should be a campsite after only a few more miles. It's Route Seventy-one, the long way into Greenfield."

There was subtext to that statement; miles deep. "Let me guess." Molly sounded tired, even to her own ears.

"Yeah, it was one of our last trips alone together…after that we usually had somebody traveling with us." Misty caught her eye. "We got lost a lot." She smiled before turning serious. "Molly, Ash is mule-headed and stupid, but he's also really honest with himself and brave. I don't think he planned on taking this way over to you," She snickered, "Either physically or meta-physically, but I think he might just be saying goodbye to some memories. I think. So go up there and help him lay that to rest, make some new memories, and if he's brooding, hit him over the head with a frying pan."

Molly laughed, surprised. "Will do." Greatly cheered, Molly realized she was singing to herself only when she reached the campsite. The empty campsite. She tried not to be too disappointed; after all, Misty was most probably right...Ash would probably show up soon she told herself optimistically.

"Or _not_." She muttered irritably, three hours later. "Where in heck is he?" She continued. "It's almost dark out and this is the only..." She paused. Dark? The sun wasn't supposed to set for another hour. "Just great." She growled. "Now my watch is broken. Things just can't get any worse today." She was wrong. The sky opened up and began to pour. "I don't have a TENT!" Molly yelled at the sky. Venting felt good, even if the cold water didn't, and so Molly kept at it. 

Twenty minutes later it was still dark, still raining, and Molly was soaked to the skin. And still shouting. "And I will NEVER be DRY again!" She yelled into the rain. "There's not a SINGLE dry place for MILES!"

"Well that's not true." Ash's voice came from behind her. "If you'd hold Pikachu I can get the tent set up. It's not much, but it's dry and Flareon might let us roast marshmallows over his flames."

"Ash!" Relief, and more than a little gratitude, flooded Molly's voice. A sudden thought hit. "How long have you been standing there?"

He smiled. "Since before the ultimatums, but probably after the swearing." He crossed the clearing and handed her his jacket. "Careful. Pikachu isn't in the best of shape right now."

Molly peeped into the folds of the jacket and was met with a sleepy, worn-looking Pikachu. "Kaaa." It sat up straight as it looked at her. Its ears twitched and then crackled. "Pika!" It thrust its head out and looked around.

"Hey Pikachu, I'm over here. Molly doesn't have a tent. I don't think she's ever been out camping...she's upset by the _rain." Ash turned briefly and made a face at her. The Pikachu in her arms regarded her seriously for a minute before wrinkling his nose and ducking back into the safety of his owner's coat. Molly had the distinct impression that both males were laughing at her._

"I've been camping!" She complained, watching as Ash set up a tent with quick, easy motions. Obviously tents were familiar territory. 

"Probably in the Ruins. That's the same as staying at home." Ash winked at her and then bowed as he lifted a tent-flap. "After you."

"I'm tempted to stay in the rain." Molly laughed crawling inside. "Wow. You must not travel much." The tent was dark and musty smelling.

"I used to do a lot, actually. But I've always hated the tent." Ash fastened the flap after himself. "I like sleeping under the stars. Besides, I hate taking the tent down; you have to be so precise in folding it or it doesn't fit in the harness. We used to make Brock do it, when he and Misty and I were all together. It's probably why he wanted to stay with Professor Ivy. Misty and I almost never used the tent after that."

He bit his lip and Molly felt a brief pang. "It shows." She said drolly. "You said 'marshmallows'." She reminded him, poking him in the leg. Pikachu crawled out of his temporary habitat and began to rummage in Ash's backpack.

"Chu." It muttered darkly tossing something green and fuzzy out. "Pi-chu!" With a tug that sent it rolling, Pikachu hauled out a bag of trail mix. It looked at Ash impatiently. "Pikachu?" 

"Well, it's not my fault you're a greedy, sugar-monster." Ash said companionably. "You had an addiction firmly in place the day Professor Oak gave you to me." The Pikachu rolled its eyes. "Ha. You did so. And they are so in there, I've been feeding your habit for almost ten years." Ash reached across and pulled a bag of marshmallows out.

Molly giggled and they both turned to look at her. Ash smiled at her. Pikachu shrugged and began sorting through pokeballs. "Ten years, huh? He must be one of your first. Why hasn't he evolved into his Raichu form yet? He's sort of...well...old to be a Pikachu. Actually, from what I've read, he's sort of old in any sense of the word." 

"He's my very first." Ash beamed. "And my very, very, very best friend." He paused and smiled lopsidedly. Molly couldn't resist smiling back at that grin. "And he is very old. He just doesn't like to admit it."

Pikachu huffed, offended. "Well, you're cute and everything. And you seem to be really friendly and smart and all that. But it's true." Molly offered. Pikachu pointedly ignored her and opened a pokeball. A large flareon jumped into the tent, curled up and went to sleep. He provided a nice, comfortable warmth and glow to the tent. "Thank you." She told it, and Pikachu. A quick trip through her bag produced several slim metal pipes. "Great! I've got our 'sticks'." She told Ash, skewering a marshmallow. 

"What is it?" Molly was pleased to note that, despite a skeptical look at the make-shift stick, he'd plopped a marshmallow on the end and was roasting it over the flareon's back.

"Core-sampling tube. We use them at the ruins to determine age and help identify possible locations of Unown activity. Neat camping stove." She grinned at the snoozing pokemon. Pikachu flicked one ear at her and set his head on her knee. He was staring. "No." Molly answered the question she thought she saw in the pokemon's eyes. "If you're so young, toast your own."

"Ka-chu. Pikachu. _Pika_." The look that Pikachu sent Molly was both long-suffering and gleeful as he picked up his own sample-tube.

"I love him." Molly grinned. "He sounds just like me." She felt her heart stutter as Ash dimpled at her; she had to swallow before she could ask, "What did he say to me?" 

"He said he hopes there are big rocks under your sleeping bag tonight. _Pointy_ ones." Ash smiled again. Pikachu shrugged. Molly looked at the ground and then at her sleeping bag. She didn't have a good feeling about it.

"Just sitting here is moving in the 'uncomfortable' direction. Something tells me that this isn't going to be one of those 'Princess and the Pea' type things, is it?" Even the hot, gooey sugar in his mouth didn't muffle Ash's laugher. And, Molly reflected, she wouldn't have it any other way.


	4. Long Walk in Circles

_AN: Yeah, I played fast and loose with the years and ages in Chapt. 3. I'm busy, tired and I don't care. Bite me.   I'll try to get a chapter up every week or so, but please be patient as I'm working on an incredibly long fic in CCS as well as a series.  As for Sabrina's team…^.~  As for this chapter, seriously un-beat'd.  Chelle-sama is busy writing me stories and we're both ill to boot.  Love us anyway?_

_Disclaimers etc. from Chapt.__ 1 apply. You can bite me about that, too. _

_ Dedication: Chelle-sama can bite me. ^.^ Ne?  _

**Chapter 4: Long Walk in Circles  
  
__**

"Hey, Nurse…"  Molly swung cheerfully into the PokeCenter and stopped when a familiar face, but not the _expected familiar face smiled at her from behind the desk.  "Jenny?"_

Jenny's smile widened.  "No, it's still 'Officer' Jenny.  Joy's in the back with Ash, taking a look at Pikachu again."  The officer shrugged.  "They should be almost done, really.  It's been a while."

"Fifteen minutes."  A young voice piped up.  "If they're doing a full physical assessment, then they'll be in there another five plus whatever time it takes to come up with, and if possible to implement, a treatment plan."

Molly turned to stare at the boy standing in the door of the PokeCenter as Jenny dropped her head into her hands.  "Rai," Jenny sighed, "I'm beginning to regret sentencing you to working here if that's the kind of information you're spewing out these days."  Laughing, she shook her head.  "I should apologize to your mother."

"Hey, Rai.  I thought your last day was Friday."  Ash strolled out of the back room with a smile.  "Could I get a packet of that Vitamin K and glucose?"  He directed a grin at Jenny and Molly felt her own heart skip.  "We're almost done and then you can whisk Joy off to that film festival you were talking about."

"Oh."  Rai frowned.  "Um…"  

"Let me guess; Friday was your last day, but now there's something wrong with Mutton that needs immediate attention?"  Molly tucked her tongue into her cheek.  Everybody in town had witnessed firsthand, or at least heard an accurate rendition of, Rai's pokemon exploits.  The kid, she reflected, was a bit of a menace.  But sweet, she grinned, as color flamed into his cheeks.

He scuffled his foot along the floor.  "Sort of.  It's Poultry.  I took her up against this Sandslash, and, um, it knew, you know, slash.  So, um, Poultry decided to, uh, run, and well…"  He trailed off with a wince.  "We'll do better next time!"  He thrust a fist into the air.  Then cocked his head.  "The Sugar-VitaK is in the left hand drawer, Officer Jenny."  He nodded towards Ash who was grinning broadly.

Joy chose that moment to duck out of the back.  "Ash, did Jenny find the…oh, Rai."  She sighed as the boy hopefully held out his Pidgey.  "Bring her back; we'll get her squared away as soon as we give Pikachu his shot."  She shot an apologetic look at Jenny.  "It shouldn't take too long." 

"It's okay; I've been working on the bank's new security layout."  Jenny held up a file and grinned.

Ash planted his hands on his hips and shook his head.  "Naw, you guys go on ahead.  I think Rai and I can handle Poultry."  He loaded a syringe and smiled.  "That's the good thing about living above the PokeCenter.  It's a real learning experience.  Besides," He pointed at Molly, "I don't think she came to take me out to lunch and then a string of bad horror movies."

Joy and Jenny glanced from Rai, beaming with anticipation, to Ash and then at each other.  "If you're sure, Ash."  Joy said finally.  "I could stick around, if you're not comfortable with going solo."

"I've got stuff to keep me occupied and we've got plenty of time."  Jenny added, lifting her file slightly.

Molly laughed aloud at Ash's incredulous look.  "You guys are workaholics."  He said at last.  "All three of you; and so are you."  He nodded to include Rai.  "Most people _like to go out and do fun things on the weekend or on their day off."  Molly kept giggling, unable to help herself, as Ash guided Joy and Jenny to the door.  "Chansey is here if I need help, Rai is practically a walking textbook, and I used to have a Pidgey.  We.  Will.  Be.  Fine."  He turned to Rai as he shut the door.  "__You will go out and play baseball or kickball or watch TV and eat ice-cream once we get Poultry put into a bed."   He led the way into the treatment rooms and stopped by Pikachu's bedside.  "Shot."  He announced and Pikachu rolled over with an aggrieved look._

"Maybe if you hadn't eaten all four of the Mars bars in my pack you wouldn't need it."  Molly grinned at the grumpy pokemon.  He glared at her.  "Admit it; your sugar craving is out of control."  Pikachu huffed.  "You know you'll crash and burn and you do it anyway, admit it."

"I read in one of Nurse Joy's journals that older pokemon tend to revert to sugar-feedings, like infant pokemon, because it's all that their bodies can really handle."  Rai dumped the used needle into the disposal.  "It's supposed to be a bad sign, because Pokemon don't really get diabetic and can't really be treated for the regression to infantile digestion."

Ash nodded.  "It sure is a bad sign."  Molly arched one eyebrow as the two boys worked together over Rai's pokemon.  "But I'm not really worried because Pikachu's still craving salt, too.  So even if he's not…"

"Pika.  Pi-chu."  Pikachu sat up and twitched his ears.  Ash grinned.

"I wasn't going to say you were old."  He said.  "I was just going to say that even if you're not in peak condition, the sugar thing isn't a big issue."  Ash stepped back and admired the work done.  "Poultry's all set."  A line appeared between his eyebrows.  "You know, I read about this technique that's supposed to calm pokemon, get them into a really tranquil state and help speed healing."

"Ha!"  Molly couldn't contain herself.  "Who's a workaholic now, Ash Ketchum?"  She grinned and plopped down into one of the bedside chairs.  "Ash, I'd like you to meet a few friends, Pot and Kettle."  She chuckled.  She smiled angelically at the narrow look he gave her before he found the journal  in which he'd read the article and sent Rai off on his way.

"Alright, you," Ash stalked back into the treatment room.  "Pot and kettle," He snorted.  "Care to share what was on _your agenda for today."  He folded his arms expectantly, a knowing look on his face.  _

Molly flushed.  "West end?  Just for a few minutes!"  She protested as a look of satisfaction settled on his face.  "We've never gone this long without some kind of contact with the Unown; I feel bad about it.  I promised you some adventure, something to study and for three whole months, nothing!"  Ash's look of smugness was nearly Molly's undoing.  "And it's not like it takes forever to strap into the harnesses!"  She added hastily.  

"Uh-huh."  Ash winked.  "Okay.  Actually, I kind of thought that might be your plan; you've been restless ever since we finished with the North area.  That's why I gave Pikachu a shot now."  He turned away to look at his pokemon and Molly took a moment to remind herself to breathe.  "Ready, Pikachu?"  The yellow pokemon climbed onto his trainer's shoulder and fell asleep, making Molly grin.  Ash must have caught her look out of the corner of his eye because he smiled at her and rolled his eyes companionably.  As they headed toward the Ruins Molly noticed him looking sideward at her a lot, smiling to himself and whistling slightly with his arms tucked behind his head to cradle his sleeping pikachu.

"It's not like we _never do fun things together."  She said finally.  "I mean fun things aside from work; you come to dinner every week."_

Ash grinned without looking at her.  "Dinner usually doubles as a staff meeting.  Speaking of, I don't think we should invite Skylar anymore.  He's just…well, he cried when I asked him about the East entrance.  He's not very stable."

"Well, no, he isn't.  That last little go-round with the Unown kinda shook him."  Molly worried at her lower lip for a moment, thinking, not looking at Ash's smile as he watched her covertly.  "What about the time we went to the Pokemon fair?  That was fun."

"Still work."  Ash hummed.  "We brought a truck-load of Sabrina's team with us so that they could get readings on the psychic pokemon.  That's when we realized that the Unown  are not like the usual psychic type.  Then we spent the rest of the day getting brain-probed for base-readings on _us around the different types of pokemon."_

"It was a learning experience?"  Molly muttered.  "What about…"

Ash laughed outright, causing Pikachu to grumble and roll into Ash's backpack.  "If you're even going to suggest the trip to the museum..."  He wiped a tear out of his eye.  "No.  It doesn't quite count."

"Well, you can't say I haven't tried."  Molly felt her cheeks heat as she stared resolutely at the ground.  "It's just…well, things always seem to happen.  Work things and other stuff."  She couldn't believe that, after three months in Ash's constant company, he still had the power to make her blush.

"Molly, wait."  Ash put a hand on her arm to stop her as they reached the entrance to the West End.  "Wait a sec, okay?  Look at me?"  She did and he smiled again, something shy.  "You're a workaholic and it's sweet, alright.  I keep thinking that you don't really know what to do with me if it's not something work related."  Dear lord, what he did to her pulse rate.

"That's not true!"  She protested.  She reconsidered.  "Not entirely.  Work just makes a nice…buffer."  She winced, blushing again.  "I…"  And, yeah, it was hard to believe she still stuttered over something she'd admitted to herself ages ago, "I just like you.  I want to be friends.  I don't want to, I don't know, screw-up.  I haven't had a lot of friends; and you're kinda special."  She confessed.  And she'd never had a friend she wanted to kiss before either.  Ash Ketchum, she mused, one-two punch.

It was Ash's turn to flush, just a little.  It was nice to know he was at least a little affected.  "Can't mess that up; we're already friends."  He shrugged.  "And it's not like I've been bouncing around saying 'ooo, oo, _date me!  The girl I used to lov…'" he stopped, turned crimson and ducked his head.  _

Molly had to stop herself from clasping her hands over her rapidly-beating heart at that 'used to'.  "Yeah," She said softly, knowing she was blushing yet again.  "I can get behind that, no question."  Something occurred to her.  "And it was _your idea to bring along Sabrina's team leads."_

"This is a true fact."  Ash tucked his tongue into his cheek.  He seemed to be thinking as he ran his badge through the security check in.  He held the door for her, leaning down to mutter in her ear as she passed, "I probably wouldn't invite them now."  

If Molly could have answered, and she wasn't sure she was capable of speech, much less coherence, she wouldn't have been able as Vickie, the Team Lead on duty, approached them, smiling widely.  "Back again?"  She winked.  "I would have thought you had better things to do."

"You know us, busy all the time."  Molly wondered if anybody could possibly sound as shrill and shell-shocked as she did in that moment.  Ash settled into the reclining chair as Vickie bent over him, one hand against his forehead and the other on his wrist.  "We're, um, not going to be here for long.  Short visit and all that." She blinked, blushed and shook her head.  "Plans, maybe, for later today."

Vickie nodded.  "Ah.  You're done, Ash."  She said, lifting her hands.  "Everything's clear and normal.  High normal, but still way within your range," She motioned for Molly to sit, which she did, sinking into the chair weakly.  "We're a skeleton crew with the League Games coming up, you know."  She continued.  "Almost everybody left for the Gym to help out with the flurry of late-entry bids.  It's just me, Dana and Disco today.  They'll get you rigged into the harnesses and get your gear squared away."  She titled her head as she studied Ash.  "You can leave Pikachu up with us, if you'd like."  Molly watched in confusion as Ash's smile faded.  

He shook his head.  "No.  It's okay.  I'm going to suit up."  His mouth turned up in a small smile.  "I'd hate to be alone down there, with just Molly."  He winked before wandering over to the other psychics.  Vickie grinned.

"Very suave, Molly Hale, very calm and collected."  Vickie placed her hands and Molly could hear her voice in her head.  _You're reading at your top end, kiddo.  And I do mean the very, very top.  He's not exactly low today, either.  Care to share?_

Molly covered her face with her hands.  "No."  Her voice was muffled.  "You probably already know it all anyhow."  She groaned.  "I've been pursuing him, — gently, before you start snickering—for how long now?  Smooth, I couldn't even manage a sentence when he said, 'hey, that's not a bad idea'."  With her eyes closed she couldn't see Vickie smile, but she felt it, as well as Dana and Disco's quiet amusement.

_Well, it wasn't exactly the slickest move in town, but love's no fun if it doesn't throw you for a loop as it knocks you off your feet.  "You're done."  Vickie chirped.  "High-end normal, so we'll be keeping a closer watch on you than him."  She smiled serenely.  "Have fun."  Molly made a wry face at her as she slid out of the chair and headed for the harnesses.  Ash was already ready to go._

"I meant to ask last week, but what's the deal with the harness?"  He smiled lazily, swinging back and forth as he waited.  "It's what, a ten foot drop?  We could do it with a rope ladder like we did in North."  He nudged her with a foot, rocking her and making Disco tut and Dana smile.  "What, are we cowards now?"

"You wish.  We're actually doing it so that we can acclimate ourselves.  The drops on the southern sections get pretty steep."  Molly was grateful for the question; and tingling with happiness, Ash knew how to set things back on task and normalcy and concentration were important.  "So, yeah, we're cowards today so that we can be brave tomorrow."  She thrust her fist in the air as Disco finished clipping her shoulder straps and Dana hit the button on the winch to send them down.

Ash had his flashlight turned on by the time they reached the floor, the beam of it illuminated brown stone walls, etched with the same markings that they'd seen in every other chamber they'd be into as they'd explored the Ruins of Alph.  "How new and exciting," He grinned.  "So different."  Unzipping his pack, he smiled into it.  "Pikachu, you were right, it's a whole new world down here."

"So young, so sarcastic."  Molly returned, unbuckling herself.  "Where the heck did I pack that camera?  Document this, document that, I could probably just lay out the other pictures side-by side and at least one of them would probably look exactly like this room."  She rummaged carefully in the pockets of her rucksack.  "Pokeball, pokeball, flashlight," this she tossed to the ground, "trail mix, canteen, lipstick," She blinked at it.  "Huh.  If he's saying I should have kept Todd on the payroll," she said as she heard Pikachu muttering behind her, "You can tell him that for once we agree, wholeheartedly."  

"Close."  He sounded amused.  "Here, use mine."  Ash handed off his camera, his fingers brushing hers.  Molly's mouth went dry.

"Thanks."  She turned away quickly and crouched down by the nearest wall, camera in hand.  "We really don't have to stay.  All the preliminaries on this section show it to be dead quiet."  She was talking more or less to be talking and called herself a wimp.  She clamped a pen-light in her teeth to illuminate the tiny, individual panels as Ash set up the lamps.  Mostly she did it to shut herself up.  "We can go once we map out this chamber, if you want; if you want to do something or whatever."  She said around it, snapping pictures as she went.  Ash didn't say anything.  She chanced a look over her shoulder to find him grinning leisurely at her.  

Talk about dry mouth, she thought frantically as he thumbed the switch on his radio.  "Vickie?  We're down; are we still okay?"  Molly blinked stupidly at him, unable to help herself.  The camera landed on the dusty floor with an unnoticed thump.  Ash's lazy smile increased.

"You're fine, Ash; still on the high side.  Tell Molly she's on the verge of having to come back up."  Vickie's voice crackled out of the speakers.  "Dana's giving me the 'stand-by to abort' sign.  Disco's not far off of it.  Settle down you two."  

"Yup."  Ash still sounded amused.  "Will do."

Molly gave the wall her full attention as Ash flipped the transmitter in the radio off.  "That was nice and mortifying." 

"At least I was here to witness it."  Ash agreed, unrepentantly cheerful.  He hunkered down next to her and picked up the camera.  "So, do you want to do the rubbings on these things while I take their pictures?"  He motioned to the wall absently as he nudged her with his shoulder.  "It'd go faster."

She nodded.  "That's a good…what is he up to?"  Pikachu was in the middle of the floor, whining at it.  Ash frowned in apparent puzzlement.

"I don't know.  Pikachu, what's up buddy?"  He stood and approached the pokemon and Molly was shocked when it bristled and hissed.  "Nothing's there," Ash said gently.  "I don't…"  

What he didn't, Molly didn't know.  The radio-receiver picked up.  "Ash, we're getting some funky readings from you.  What are you doing?"  

Ash froze where he was, in the process of bending over Pikachu.  He looked at the radio and then Molly.  "Nothing.  I'm standing in the middle of the room with Pikachu.  Describe 'funky' for us."

"It's funky."  Disco's voice cut across the channel followed by Dana's.  

"What's Molly doing?  Where's she?"

"Guys, let me lead, you monitor."  Vickie's voice overlaid theirs.  "Those are good questions.  Molly?  Ash, you're still reading weird."  Molly stood carefully even though Ash was shaking his head at her.  

He made a face as she began to cross the room.  "Guys?" She hit the tab on her own transmitter.  "I'm crossing the room, heading for Ash and Pikachu.  What's the word?"

"Serious.  Ash you're reading all over, Molly you've just gone completely off your chart.  We're going to bring you up so get to the harnesses."  Vickie's voice was calm.  "No arguments, you can come back with the rest of the team later but you're both coming up _now.  We're not staffed for this."  _

Molly kept moving even though Ash was making definite 'no' motions at her.  "Alright."  She muttered softly before shutting down.  "Let's get him off the floor and then…Ash?"  Molly reached out to touch his hand as his face went gray.  "Ash?"  He pointed mutely behind her.  What she saw as she turned made her drop her pack.  Twelve of the symbol panels were floating behind her.  One of them seemed to blink at her, zooming in close to her face and backing away again.  Inside her head Molly had the impression of humming voices and crystalline music notes.  "Um, hi?"  She whispered as she grasped Ash's hand.  His fingers laced tightly through hers.

"Molly!  Ash!  What's going…"  The voices were distorted by sudden static as pinkish-purple light filled the chamber and Molly winced at its brightness.  A quick, desperate look around did nothing to calm her.  The walls of the chamber that she could still see were blank, bare stone until the thousands of whirling, blinking tiles filled the air  and blocked out her view altogether.  The floor beneath them seemed to melt away in a rush, streaming up toward the ceiling and filling the chamber.  

And they fell.


	5. Familar Faces in a Place I Haven't Been

_Disclaimers from Chapter one (oddly enough) apply here.  Notes: Thanks, everybody, for hanging with me—Life has been full and busy beyond belief.  Plus, I don't watch Pokemon much anymore.  But I want to finish the story and I WILL.  It's mostly planned out; I just have to sedate my other plot-bunnies in order to work on this.  Dedicated to Chelle-sama, who beta's even when it sqwicks her out.  Gomennasai.  _

**Chapter Five: Familiar Faces in a Place I Haven't Been**

It was like falling in a dream, all slow-motion blurred colors and the feeling of timelessness.  The world was full of dark colors and purple-pink light.  The only sources of bright colors were Pikachu and Molly.  Ash squeezed Molly's hand briefly and let go, diving after his friend.  "Pikachu!"  He managed to get his arms around the pokemon and draw it to his chest; he righted himself and reached for Molly just as he slammed into the ground.  "Ow."  

As he rolled to his feet, Ash saw that he'd landed on a small outcropping of rock.  What it was cropping out _from was not apparent.  He held Pikachu a little closer and stepped back.  "Molly, are you okay?"  He asked without looking.  He took another step back when she didn't answer him.  "Molly?"  He turned in a circle, looking at the rock he stood on.  He was alone.  "Molly!"  Two of the Unown floated up to him from someplace below.  They whirled and blinked and Ash felt something whirl and blink in his head.  "Where's Molly?"  He demanded.  The Unown whirled and blinked again and there was a faint, far-off sound, like music but not.  "Where is she?"_

The twist in his brain un-twisted as the Unown backed away from him and swirled up.  To Molly; who was, somehow, floating above him, surrounded by thousands of spinning, winking Unown.  Terror chewed at him as Molly spun slowly in the air, Unown zooming in close to her and then backing away again so that more could come forward.  Her eyes were glassy and he doubted that she even knew he was watching her.  "I understa…" her voice was slurred and hushed.  It was the first time since she'd said the word 'date' that Ash had been scared of hearing her voice.  "Then you…I want…"  She continued to move slowly above him, the Unown moving around her like a living blanket.

"Pikachu, I'm gonna put you down, okay?"  Ash whispered, in case the Unown could hear and understand him.  "I've got to try and get Molly down."  He set Pikachu gently on the ground and wiped his sweaty palms off on his jeans.  "Okay…"

"Chuuuu."  Pikachu muttered fretfully as the Unown slid up to and away from him.

Ash nodded.  "I know; it's creepy."  He felt his friend stand up against his leg and bristle with the faint pulse of electricity.  "Easy, we don't want them to spook."  This was sort of a stupid thing to say, once he really thought about it.  He was about to make a jumping-grab at the girl they were hovering around.  "Here goes nothing."  He muttered to himself for courage as he jumped.  He managed to snag one sneaker; tugging her down felt like falling all over again.  She didn't seem to notice anything.

"I don't…you…dying…"  Molly continued to murmur softly, eyes fixed on the Unown who whirled around all of them now.  Ash felt one brush his cheek and shuddered.  

 "Pika.  Pi-chu."  Pikachu tugged on his pant-leg and patted Molly's shoe with his other paw.

Ash shrugged.  "I don't know if shocking her would help or if it would provoke the Unown."  Keeping one hand on Molly, Ash un-shouldered his pack and knelt next to his pokemon, "Try the radios and see if you can't get Vickie on the line.  Anybody would be good right now."  He undid the buckles and opened the flap before he got back to his feet and tightened his hold on Molly's wrist, trying to get through to her.  

"Molly?"  He shook her shoulders lightly, hoping she'd look at him or blink.  Heck, he really wanted her to smile at him and tell him he'd fallen off the rope ladders again and had a massive brain injury.  "Molly, hey, can you hear me?"  She smiled at the Unown and lifted one hand to stroke the one nearest her.  Ash felt that odd twist in his brain again.  "Molly!"  He brought her hand down.  "Come on, come on!  Come on, Molly, talk to me."  She didn't respond for a long moment, and then she turned her glassy, unfocused eyes on him.

"Papa!"  She sounded…drugged, was the best word he could come up with.  "They remember me.  They remember everything since the world started and they can remember _me!"   Molly's cute giggle had never, ever, before made him want to slap her—but now he was willing to, if it would bring her back to her senses._

He took a deep breath and leaned to his left, trying to make eye contact.  "I'd feel a lot better about that if I knew you could remember who _I am."  He told her.  "Molly, can you tell me who I am?  And I'll give you one clue…I'm not your father."_

It must have triggered something, he thought, because she blinked rapidly and her eyes became a little less cloudy.  "Ash?"  She frowned.  "Can't you hear them?  They know us…they know my father and my mother.   You don't hear them?"  Six of the Unown whirled up between them and Molly's eyes went blind again.  "Why…?"  Her breathing hitched.

"How's the radio?"  Ash refused to take his eyes off of Molly Hale and the Unown pokemon that swarmed around her.  He didn't expect good news and he didn't get it.  "Molly?"  He shook her and then nearly dropped her as a massive Entei reared up behind her and snarled.  It shattered into forty or so Unown, all winking and wiggling.  "Oh, that is just so creepy."  

Molly laughed.  "That's how…but you can't…"

"Complete a sentence."  Ash snapped, his mouth dry with fear.  "Molly, what the hell is going on?"  He wanted to shake her again, but didn't quite dare.  He didn't have Charizard; he didn't have anybody with him but Pikachu and Flareon.  "Pikachu, have we got any rope?"  Pikachu produced a large coil of camping line.  "Good enough, we're going to climb down and see if there's anything under this rock."

He'd just finished tying the rope around Molly's waist and his own when Molly spoke.  Her words were still blurry and soft, but they were coherent.  "What are you doing?"  He double looped the rope around one of the larger rocks that were lying around before answering.

"I'm trying to get us out of here.  We're going to see what's under this rock and if it'll get us home."  He knotted the rope quickly and nearly jumped out of his skin when Molly laid one cool hand on his arm.

"But there's nothing under the rock."  She blinked, eyes clearing rapidly.  The Unown around her moved in pulsing waves, but didn't whirl, blink or come closer.  "The only reason the rock is here is because you thought it should be."    
  


He pulled the rope until there was no slack, "Yeah, well, I think there should be a way out too, so let's hope you're right."

"Ash, it wouldn't be any more real than the ground we're standing on."  She shook her head slightly, frustrated.  "Oh, _why can't you hear them?"  She brought her fist to her temples.  "Let me think, let me think…help me explain this to him!"  The Unown closed in again and Ash closed his eyes as they brushed and pushed at him.  The lashes on the eyes tickled him, but the limbs were dry and brittle feeling.  He shuddered.  _

"Molly…whatever they're saying to you, don't listen to them.  We don't know why they brought us here or what they want.  Last time we were this close to this many we nearly killed the entire planet."  Heart in his throat, Ash looked over the edge and wondered when he'd gone crazy.  "I'm going to go down first, if I fall, the rope around you will go tight, so brace yourself so you don't fall, okay?"  He smiled reassuringly at Pikachu; Molly's eyes were still closed, and lowered himself down.    After a moment his feet hit solid ground again.  "Alright!  It's not far down at all!  Come on down!"

"But it's not real, Ash."  Molly said from behind him.  The rope was still tied around her waist and she was holding Pikachu, setting him down she crossed to where Ash was gaping at her.  "The Unown make things; like Entei and crystal flower-things and pokemon stadiums so that we can understand them.  They want to communicate."

He wanted to hope, and Molly certainly sounded like herself, but he couldn't forget the far-away look in her eyes and her desperate hopes that were the reason she studied the Unown.  "Yeah, well why don't they just talk?  We know they can.  Entei could."  He folded his arms but after a moment he reached out and touched her hair.  "I know that everything seems…promising, Molly, but we don't know so much about them and we're trapped."

"We're not trapped and they _are talking.  I can understand them.  I don't know how or why, but their bodies are like letters to me…and when they spell a word I can hear their voices in my head.  They sound…I can't really describe it, but I can feel it when they talk to me."  She reached up and caught his hand and he automatically twined their fingers together.  "I don't know how to make you understand.  They've told me so much since we've left the Ruins."_

Ash closed his eyes and thought.  "Is this true?"  He shouted finally, the Unown moved around him and he heard/felt the crystalline spiraling in his mind.  He looked at Molly, she was smiling at the writhing mass.  Her eyes were unfocused again.  "If it's true, how do we leave?"  Beside him, Molly gasped.  "We…if you let us out now, we can come back.  We can come back prepared, with people who might understand you the way that Molly does."

There was a ripple in the universe around him and Ash had an overwhelming sense of 'there' from a spot three feet to his left.  He looked at Molly; she bit her lip and nodded.  "Ash…"  She trailed off, eyes straying to the pokemon surrounding them.

"Molly."  He sighed, unable to believe how stupid he was.  "I meant it.  We'll come back.  If we can leave now, talk about this someplace that isn't right in their…nest or whatever…then we can come back."  She smiled and lead the way to the 'there' that he'd felt.  The universe melt and ran and Ash was falling again, pitching endlessly forward, colors rushing past his face…all of them too bright, too close , too…

"Hey, are you back?"  Molly's voice was gentle and when Ash blinked he could see her leaning over him, blue eyes soft with worry.  "Hey," she whispered again as he continued to open and close his eyes.  "You took that really hard."  She continued.  "You just…it's like you fainted, except your eyes were open."  

He sat up and his head spun and he was forced to close his eyes on a wave of nausea.  "Where are we?"  It didn't look like anyplace familiar, red-rock walls that were covered with some weird, glowing plant.  

Molly looked around.  "West of the West End, I'd say, after looking at the geological structure and the flora."  She grinned.  "_Schistostega pennata, otherwise known as 'Cave moss' and 'Goblin's Gold' is pretty rare.  It only grows in Greenfield."  She brushed his hair out of his face.  "Are you sure you're alright?"_

"I'm fine."  Though he was pretty clammy, he thought after he brushed his hair out of his eyes again.  "Talk.  Tell me about what happened back…wherever that was."  He called himself crazy.

Sitting back against one wall, Molly appeared to ponder.  "That was…it's not a place, really.  It's sort of like a place-holder."  She shook her head and made a wry face.  "That sounds dumb.  Let me start where they did."  She rubbed her hands over her eyes.  "Do you know the story about Pokemonopolis?"  She asked after a minute.  "The Giant pokemon that were the first ever recorded in history?"

"I've met some."  Ash laughed and scooted over to sit next to her.  "I know the story."  

After shooting him an askance look Molly let out a deep breath.  "Okay…um, well, the Unown pre-date them.  At least, they can remember a time before the Giants were here and they can remember when the Giants came.  They tried to make contact with the Giants and the people who worshipped them, but the people couldn't really see them and the Giants were busy fighting with each other.  When the giant Pokemon were gone…the Unown tried again."  She leaned her head back against the wall and avoided his eyes.  "They killed everybody in the city."

"WHAT?"  Ash shot to his feet and barely missed braining himself on the ceiling.  "You're telling me that we spent _how long in the company of…of…and I promised to take you __back because you didn't want to __leave?"_

"ASH!"  Molly leapt to her feet too, moving to stand in front of him.  Her blue eyes were shining in earnest.  "Ash, they didn't mean to.  It was like what happened ten years ago—an accident that they tried hard to stop!"  She held up her hands in front of her, pleadingly.  "Please, listen to the rest of the story, okay?"  She waited for his nod before she sat and this time, Ash sat across from her.  He wanted to be able to watch her eyes, in case something was affecting her.  He was sure that he'd see it in her face if the Unown were doing something to her.

"So they accidentally killed a city full of people?"  He could hear the interest beneath his sarcasm.

Molly must have heard it too, because she kicked his hiking boot lightly.  "They had found somebody like me, who could hear them, and they tried to talk to him.  And they _did talk.  They found out about how people were trying to find a means of training pokemon, trying to befriend the ones who weren't vicious like the Giants.  The Unown wanted to help…so they tried to train with the boy that they found and some of the others who could hear them.  But they, like me, couldn't control the powers that the Unown could raise and the Unown…they couldn't stop without the help of the trainers.  The Unown had never used their powers before, not really and they had no clue that it could…that things would turn out the way that they did.  They wanted to learn to control their powers, they wanted to be trained, but they couldn't.  All the people who tried ended up destroying towns and people and themselves.  The Unown wanted to stop, but people kept coming, wanting to be the most powerful trainer…"_

"Like Team Rocket," Ash muttered when she trailed off.  "Without the stupid motto."  He hoped to make her smile and she did, slightly.

"Sort of." She agreed.  "The trainers wouldn't stop coming, and so the Unown left.  They made…a gate.  They made a world out of themselves but they couldn't take the real world, they couldn't form a world of their own without killing the world they were leaving and so they gave up Time.  There world is made up from time.  And they create things, people, pokemon…they sort of draw them from a time that they existed in the world.  And once they've used it or done what they want with it, they return whatever it was from the time that it came from.  Like that rock we were on.  They took it from a beach someplace and once you climbed down they put it back in it's place—before they even took it.  Nobody would even have noticed it being gone because it's like it was never taken."

It was incredible.  "Their power must just be amazing."  He whispered. 

Molly tilted her head and considered.  "It's strong…but at what a price?"  She looked at the small shaft of sunlight that made the moss glow.  "They can't communicate with anybody…locked away in their world.   They've tried to contact people before me and my father, but it's hit and miss because they don't know _when these people are or when they'll arrive at the Ruins."_

"The Ruins are their gate, right?"  Ash asked.  "Then when people with the right sort of communication gear, don't laugh" he ordered when she snicker, "when those people come along they open the gate and hope for the best?"

"It's harder than that.  It's like trying to catch a ball when you can't see the ball.  The Unown listen for that one ball, while listening to every ball that gets bounced in the Ruins.  All of them.  And they have to guess where the right ball is, by listening."

Ash let out a low whistle.  "And they manage that?"

"Apparently."  Molly agreed.  "They have several places where the gates are and when the right person reaches a gate, they open it.  If they're listening to that time."

It was Ash's turn to rub his hands over his face.  "And we were able to find our way in.  I always knew we were special, Pikachu."  He grinned at his friend and then felt his blood freeze in his veins.  "Molly?"  She looked up and arched one eyebrow.  "Can we get back there?  Back to the place we just were?  Soon?"

"I think we might be able to.  We should call Vickie and Dana and Disco first, to let them know we're okay before we try to go back."  He watched in detachment as Molly scanned the cave they were sitting in.  "Where's your radio?  I left mine in the West End."

Ash swallowed and managed to speak even though it felt like choking down sand.  "With Pikachu.  In the world of the Unown."


End file.
